


Lullaby

by Nkala99



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Clumsy Sam, Exhaustion, Father Figures, Friendship, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24934237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nkala99/pseuds/Nkala99
Summary: Sam’s too busy to go home and sleep.  Fortunately, Leo has a plan to take care of that.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91





	Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Aaron Sorkin. I make no money off of this ficlet.  
> Author’s Note: I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I started watching West Wing during this Covid outbreak and found some amazing fanfiction. One thing led to another, and here I am in yet another fandom. This is my first foray into West Wing, so all mistakes are mine.

The loud _thud_ followed by a hurried “I’m okay!” didn’t register as much more than a blip in the back of Toby’s mind as he went over the latest press briefing just outside his office. Leo didn’t hesitate as he relayed instructions to CJ about leaking information about their school vouchers memo, but a small smile quirked CJ’s lips as she nodded along.

Sam emerged from his office, limping slightly as he headed for his assistant’s desk. He had barely cleared the doorway when he hip checked Cathy’s desk and bounced against Bonnie’s. He slammed a hand down on Bonnie’s desk as he came to an abrupt stop, groaning slightly. 

“You okay Sam?” Cathy asked her boss. 

“I’m fine,” Sam replied, passing her a folder. “I need to check in with Josh on this real quick, but can you make three copies for me?”

Toby let the conversation behind him fade from his consciousness as he returned his attention to Leo and CJ. “When do you want details about this plan to make it to the official release?”

“Monday’s good,” Leo replied. “That’ll give us a few days to get the President’s position finalized. We just have a couple more details to iron out before then.”

“Sounds good,” Toby replied, just as a loud crash echoed from the direction of Josh’s office.

Leo raised an eyebrow. “When was the last time he got some sleep?”

Toby suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, but only just. “He’s been catching a couple catnaps on my couch or at his desk.”

“And the last time he slept at home?” Leo prompted.

“Security logs last clock him leaving the West Wing three days ago,” Cathy spoke up as she stood with the folder Sam had given her. She looked at Toby. “I was going to tell you if he spent another night here again.”

Leo excused himself and retreated to his office as Toby and CJ turned to face Cathy. “He hasn’t been home in _three_ _days_?” Toby exclaimed, his face clouding over.

Cathy nodded. “He’s been wrapped up with some additional legal issues about campaign financing that the White House Council office sent his way,” she replied. “It’s taken up more time than he expected.”

“What the hell is the Council office doing sending _my_ deputy _their_ work?” Toby demanded, his head turning towards Josh’s office.

CJ laid a hand on Toby’s arm. “They do that from time to time,” she told him. “It’s just to cover their bases.”

“You _knew_ about this?” Toby demanded.

CJ was saved from replying as Josh appeared, leading Sam back to the communications bullpen with a hand firmly grasping Sam’s arm. Sam was waving his free arm around as he spoke to his friend, oblivious to the fond exasperation on Josh’s face.

“We can finish this tomorrow, you know,” Josh told Sam as soon as Sam paused to catch a breath. “It can even wait until next week. You said yourself it’s not due until Wednesday, right?”

“The final report, yes,” Sam said. “But there’s still plenty of work between then and now.”

“Work that can wait until after you’ve had about twelve hours of sleep,” Josh told him, walking him over to where Toby and CJ were watching them. 

“I don’t need twelve hours of sleep,” Sam protested.

Josh rolled his eyes. “No, you need at least _eighteen_ hours of sleep, if the pile of folders and papers all over the floor behind Donna’s desk is any indication.”

“Bad mess?” CJ asked.

Josh shuddered. “A potted plant might have been involved. And some leftover coffee. Donna’s gonna kill me.”

“Why you?” CJ asked as Toby leveled a glare on his deputy.

“Because she’d never kill Sam,” Josh replied easily. “If anything, she’ll find some way to make it out to be my fault.”

“You’re making too big of a deal about a little accident,” Sam admonished him, wrenching his arm free of Josh’s grip only to sway dangerously in the other direction.

Three pairs of hands reached out to steady him.

“It’s not ‘a’ little accident,” Josh told him pointedly. “Or did you forget about that little stumble into my door frame?”

“Bonnie!” Toby barked. “Call a cab. Sam’s going home, and he’s not coming back until Monday.”

“No I’m not. I’m fine,” Sam insisted.

Toby scowled at him. “It never ceases to amaze me that, as a lawyer, you are incapable of lying.”

Sam scowled right back, but on his face it looked more like a pout. “I can lie!”

“Forgive me, I misspoke,” Toby replied. “I meant to say you are incapable of lying _convincingly_.”

“Sam, you’re dead on your feet,” Josh added. “There’s nothing wrong with heading home and getting a few good hours’ rest.”

Sam folded his arms. “I’m not _that_ tired,” he insisted. “Besides, all of _you_ are here, and none of _you_ are heading home.”

“Hands up all who went home and slept in their own beds last night,” Josh called out, raising his hand.

Toby’s and CJ’s hands rose as well. 

“Sam, you’ve tripped and crashed into things at least five times in the last ten minutes,” CJ pointed out. “You’re tired. Go home.”

“I still have some things I need to finish up,” Sam told her. “It’s barely eight o’clock. I’ll wrap up what I’m doing, then I’ll go home.”

“Excuse me.”

Eyes turned to face Margaret, who had appeared at CJ’s elbow. Margaret’s gaze swept over the senior staffers, lingering on Sam and the exhaustion evident on his face.

“Leo would like to see you all in his office,” she told them. “Something’s come up.”

“We’ll be right there,” Josh assured her. “Thanks, Margaret.”

Margaret nodded and turned, walking back towards Leo’s office.

“As soon as we’re done with whatever Leo needs, you’re going home if I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you out the door,” Toby told Sam firmly.

“Now that’s something I’d pay to see,” CJ remarked, leading the group away from the communications bullpen.

“You guys are overreacting,” Sam insisted. “I feel fine.”

He stumbled over his own feet. Josh reacted quickly, catching Sam’s arm and steadying him.

“Yeah, forgive us for doubting you,” Josh said wryly, adjusting his grip on Sam’s arm as they continued their trek. “I don’t know what we were thinking.”

Margaret waved them into Leo’s office as soon as they arrived. CJ entered first, followed by Toby. Josh and Sam brought up the rear, blinking in surprise at what they found.

Leo’s office was dimly lit by the lamp on the desk and another floor lamp near the door to the Oval Office. With the sun having set several hours ago, the room was cast in a soft yellow glow. Classical music wafted on the air from a radio behind Leo’s desk, not loud enough to be distracting but enough to gently fill the silence.

“Did your lights burn out?” Josh asked, steering Sam over to the couch and settling him down.

“I’ve been having headaches lately,” Leo stated as he watched his staff settle into chairs around the room. “The lights and music are Margaret’s ways of trying to help.”

“What’s up?” Toby asked, hoping to get the meeting finished quickly so he could see to getting Sam home.

“I got a call from Senator Washburn,” Leo stated, his voice pitched at a lower volume than usual. “Seems he wants to set up a meeting to discuss his bill on interstate maintenance.”

“He’s already tried to get that up off of the ground twice this month,” Sam pointed out. “The plan he wants to enact can only be handled by each individual state and their budget. We explained all that to him both times. What’s different now?”

“Well, as it turns out-.” Leo was interrupted as the door to the Oval Office opened and President Bartlet stepped inside. He waved his hands at his Senior Staff, urging them to sit back down amidst their scramble to rise.

“Kind of late for a staff meeting, wouldn’t you say?” Bartlet asked, his tone also softer than his usual booming level.

“Washburn wants a meeting right away to talk about interstate maintenance,” Leo informed him. “We need to discuss strategies for dealing with whatever he’s come up with lately.”

Bartlet nodded, his hands in his pockets as he stepped further into the room. “He’s persistent, I’ll give him that,” he commented. “Did you know that the concept of interstates actually began with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916? You see, President Eisenhower gets credit for establishing them, but the original idea . . .”

Toby watched as the eyes in the room glazed over at Bartlet’s seemingly unending recitation of American trivia washed over them in a low, rumbling tone. Josh had a look of polite disinterest on his face that he usually wore when dealing with stubborn Republicans whose help he needed. CJ was nodding along obediently, but Toby had no idea how much information she was actually retaining. Curiously enough, Leo bore a small smirk on his face, and Sam . . .

Sam’s eyes kept slipping shut and staying closed longer and longer the more Bartlet droned on. Toby watched his chin sink to his chest, snap up as he jolted himself awake, then slip lower again. 

Toby nudged CJ and jutted his chin at Sam. She looked over and began to grin widely when she realized what was going on. Josh followed their gazes, his expression shifting to amusement as they all watched their friend gradually slip into sleep.

Bartlet continued speaking for another five minutes before wrapping up his story. Everyone remained still, barely breathing to see if Sam would awaken.

As Sam continued to sleep, Bartlet waved CJ, Toby, and Josh towards the Oval Office. He joined Leo as they converged on Sam’s slumbering form on the couch. Toby followed CJ and Josh towards the next room, but he paused in the doorway and turned to watch his boss and president.

Leo retrieved a pillow and blanket from behind his desk as Bartlet gently loosened and removed the tie from around Sam’s neck. Leo set the pillow on the couch and moved around Bartlet to pull Sam’s shoes off of his feet.

With gentle, practiced hands, Bartlet cradled Sam’s head as he lowered the young man to a reclining position on the couch. Leo shook out the blanket and settled it over Sam. The entire process took all of five minutes before Leo and Bartlet joined them in the Oval Office, pulling the door closed gently.

“You set the whole thing up,” Josh said in realization. “There was no call from Washburn.”

“Oh, there was a call, but the meeting was already taken care of,” Leo told him. “Sam had already made it clear he wasn’t going to go home anytime soon. Since Mohammad wasn’t going to the damned mountain, this seemed like the best solution.”

“How did you know this would work?” CJ asked, curious.

“I’ve been a father for over thirty years,” Leo reminded her. “So has the president. It wasn’t exactly rocket science.”

“I have to say, it’s been awhile since my skills as ‘bedtime storyteller’ have been needed,” Bartlet added. “I’m glad to see that I’ve still got it.”

Josh snorted. “I can’t wait until he wakes up and realizes he’s been had,” he said gleefully.

“When he wakes up, he’s being sent straight home to finish catching up on his sleep until Monday,” Bartlet stated firmly. “Giving him a hard time is going to have to wait until he’s aware enough for all of us to enjoy it.”

“Yes, sir,” Josh said, grinning broadly.

“All right, all of you get out of here,” Leo said. “Our actual meeting is being pushed back until nine tomorrow morning. Go home and get some sleep.”

“Good night sir.”

“Good night, Mr. President.”

Bartlet watched his staff leave, then turned to Leo with a smirk. “How long do you think Sam’ll sleep?”

Leo considered the question for a long moment. “Given that he’s running on about two hours of sleep in the last seventy-two?” he asked. “Long enough to track down a camera.”

Bartlet’s smirk widened. “Abby’ll want a copy once she hears about this.”

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving her out,” Leo replied, heading for the door to track down Margaret. “Have a good night, Mr. President.”

“See you tomorrow, Leo.”

END


End file.
